Annie



` No. 607,556. Patented July I9, |898.

H. v. swYNY & 1. H. McnoNALD.

A. SWYNY, Admnistratrx of H. V. SWYNY, Decd.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Appication filed Apr. 2, 1897.) N o M o d e l o 7" 5 @E j f E x 'lll/1111112111 E NnmlmmI llNirE STATES HENRY v. swYNY AND JonN n. MeDoNALD, oE BUTTE, MONTANA; ANNIE swYNY ADMINISTEATRrX or SAID HENRY v. swYNY, DEcEAsED.

Fmi-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,556, dated July 19, 1898.

Application tiled April 2, 1897. Serial No. 630,364. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it 11i/Cty concern:

Beit known that we,I-IENRY VINCE SWYNY, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and JOHN I-I. MCDONALD, a citizen of the United States, both residents of Butte, county of Silver Bow, and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the ac? companying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention has relation to lire-escapes and our object is to provide a portable device of this character which will be of such a size that it may conveniently be carried and at the same time be cheap to manufacture, light, and efficient in use.

In the drawings forming part of this speciication, Figure l is a perspective view of the improved fire-escape. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the brake. Fig. tis a sectional view of the spring in the brake, and Fig. 5 a perspective View of the sling used in connection with our fire-- escape.

Referring to the drawings, l indicates a frame comprising a base portion 2, two uprights 3 3, and a top portionA. Mounted on a shaft 3l, journaled in suitable bearings in the uprights 3, is the drum 5, provided with a brake-wheel 6, having flanged edges 7. A spiral spring S is arranged interiorly of the band-brake wheel. A band-brake 9 is secured to the brake-wheel and occupies a positionbetween the two flanges 7, while the one end l0 of the bandfbrake is attached to a screw-threaded shaft 1l, provided at its eX- tremity with an adjusting hand-wheel l2. The other end of the band-brake is secured in the base portion 2 of the frame, where it passes through an opening in a block 14, and is provided with a buffer l5, against which abuts a nutlG. An indicator 17 is supported and operated by the action of the hand-wheel and passes up through an aperture in base 2, and a pointer 1S is secured to the base, said indicator having a graduated face.

Secured to the uprights 3 are two bars 19, terminating in snap-hooks 20, and are intended to be used -in attaching the sling to the adapted to move along the rod as the rope 23 unwinds from the drum. Attached to the rope is a snap-hook 24, fora purpose to be hereinafter described.

Any form of sling may be used; but we prefer the construction shown in Fig. 5, wherein 25 represents a cross-shaped piece of canvas having its ends provided with eyes 2G. 27 indicates a ring of any suitable material, designed to. encircle the waist of the wearer and-attached to the extremities of the sling by means of cords 28. Another rope 29 is secured to the ring 27 and is provided with a snap 30 to be used in connecting it to the reescape.V

It is our intention to manufacture the various metallic portions of our fire-escape of aluminium.

The owner of the lire-escape adjusts the .dial to correspond with his weight in order that the band-brake may properly control the paying out of the rope when the fire-escape is in use.

W'hen it is desired to put the lire-escape into operation, the end of the rope 23 is passed around some suitable fixed object, such as a radiator or bed-leg, and the hook is secured around the rope, thereby holding the same in position against displacement. The snap 30 is connected with the snap 20. The person then seats himself in the canvas sling, passing the ring 27 around the waist, and swings himself out from the Window. The descent of the person is controlled by the band-brake alluded to hereinbefore.

In case it is desired to send the fire-escape back for another person the action of the spring in the drum will when released wind the rope in the drum and by so doing draw the fire-escape back to the window and in position for the rescue of another inmate ofthe burning building.

IOO

journaled in said frame, a spiral spring, va band-brake attached to the frame, a brakewheel having anges thereon attached to one end of the drum and means vfor adjust-ably controlling the action of the band-brake upon the brake-Wheel, said means consisting of a screw-threaded shaft passing through the base of the frame, to one end of which the free end of the brake is attached, and ahand- Wheel attached to the lower end of the shaft, a buffer interposed between the base of the frame and the block to which the other end of the brake is secured., and means for attaching a sling to the said frame, substantially as shown and described.

2. A iire-escape,comp1ising a framc,a drum journaled in said frame, a brake-Wheel attached to one end of said drum, a spiral H. V. SVVYNY. J. H. MCDONALD.

Vitnesses:

FRED. KoHL, CHARLES G. KoHL. 

